Here is what the 4Runner does:

When accelerating (from a stop, or when a shift is made) the car turns (yaws) to the right. This is a new problem and is fairly severe. While coasting, or maintaining speed, no noticible pulling sensation is felt.

Obviously this is due to the engines tourque, but what makes it so severe? Broken motor or tranny mount?

I will probably see the mechanic Monday, but I would like to get some info/ideas now. Thanks you,

Lamm

 

Also, I gave the undeside a visual check, nothing unuasual except a little oil around the t-case seam.

Anybody?

Lamm

 

Hows your air pressure? A severly low tire would do that.

 

No, the only other thing I could think of was a problem with the diff. Maybe only one wheel is getting all the power all the time?

Lamm

 

If you have an open differential (that is what came stock), it ensures you have equal torque to both wheels. Now granted, if you lift a tire or put a tire on ice, and that tire has no traction, you will get the same torque on both wheels (that being 0).

You may want to check the suspension/control arm bushings and bolts. If one of those is worn/loose, it can let the axle move under load and you can get a torque-steer effect.

 

Lemme offer all the guesses I can think up.
Doesn't cause a pull. Rear tire pressure was my first guess. Gotta ask the obvious - the rear tires are the same size, yes? Can't imagine a broken rear axle, that's a long shot. Problem with the lockrite? How about the frame itself - is it rusted through? Engine torque can't affect the steering, but if the front frame is flexing, who knows what could happen. Have a close look at the control arms for the rear suspension, is one of those bent? How about the bushings - maybe one (or more) has shot bushings - this could possibly do what you're describing.

 

I took it to the shop today, they did not have time to look at it but his guess was a control arm or bushing causing the axle to twist.

Anybody experianced this before?
Anybody have a price estimate on parts that may be busted?
Any other ideas?

Thanks a lot,
Lamm

 

Kind of like I guessed. If you ever watched that Monster Garage episode they built the Bronco? rock crawler, and saw when one of the control rods broke, that shows the problem exactly. With coil springs, the various control arms locate the axle and if one or more break or the bushings go, they can't control the axle and it moves around.

 

The official verdict is in. The lower control arm (4th link I think) has broken loose from the frame. This is the part that goes from the axlle to the bracket on the frame, under the rear doors.

Does anyone know where I could get one? I need a pass. side, and hopefully a pair yesterday.

These would have to be cut off of the frame with a torch.

Lamm

 

Got the ability to fab a set???

Torch, plasma, grinder, whatever you got to get it off with.

I have also experienced this sme symptoms but mine was due to all torque going to one wheel from a broken No-Slip. To bad that's not yur case as it's alot easier to fix than redoin' link mounts.

Might as well go long arm eh???? ....since you got to mess with mounts anywayz

 

Toyota would probably be your best bet. They are pretty good at carrying those types of parts.

 

Toyota has em, $120 each plus the bolts and guard plate.

Lamm

 

Wouldn't it be a good idea to upgrade from stock here since it's the stock bracket that's being replaced due to failure?? I personally don't like replacing parts that failed with duplicate parts unless I know why it failed and can solve that issue as well. I was plannin' on takin' a closer look tonight but the wifey took the kiddoz to great gmaz in the Runner. Seems to me , from memory (which ain't all that good), that the tabs for those brackets don't extend very far on the frame.... thus not having enough weld surface to handle the varying loads on the bracket when wheeled like you wheel (often I take it). Maybe replace with stock and "beef it up" when installing (hmmmm, sounds more expensive than just building of having better onez built)??? This isn't a very common problem is it???

 

Well, The #1 reason it broke was rust. There are a lot of places where rust is not a major issue, but in Ohio it is.

I don't abuse my runner a lot, so new stock ones with some better undercoating should be OK for me.

Lamm

 

Yup, yur right, rust from salt didn't come in to mind. Rusted but still enough to weld back to?

I take it by your mods list that this is definately a keeper truck and that's what initiated the thinkin "if I gotta get a new one and weld it back on, may as well upgrade and weld better onez on" in my head.

You wouldn't happen to have a pic of the failure would ya? I'm curious as to where it failed just cause I have one.

Edit'd cuz I kant spel.

 

Yeah, its a keeper.

Do you play poker? I'm whats called "pot invested" with my 4Runner.

I wish I had the time or money to re-design it a little bit to be better but I need it fixed ASAP for a variety of reasons. With new metal, I will be able to paint it once a year to prevent the rust. When I got it though, they were pretty far gone.

Standby for pics...

Lamm